Resilient mounting for clothes receiving cylinders in washing machines



y 1951 J. w. CHAMBERLIN 2,555,269

RESILIENT MOUNTING FOR CLOTHES RECEIVING CYLINDERS IN WASHING MACHINESl/VVEN 70/? JOHN W GHAMBERL/N ATTORNEY y 1951 J w. CHAMBERLIN 2,555,269

RESILIENT MbUNTING FOR CLOTHES RECEIVING CYLINDERS IN WASHING MACHINESFiled Aug. 24, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 I/WENTYOR JOHN w. CHAMBERL m/ATTORNEY J. w. CHAMBERLIN RESILIENT MOUNTINGFOR CLOTHES RECEIVINGGYLINDERS IN WASHING MACHINES May 29, 1951 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Aug.24, 1946 INVENTOR JOHNWCHAMBERL/N BY ATTORNEY Patented May 29, 1951RESILIENT MOUNTING FOR CLOTHES RECEIVING CYLINDERS IN WASHING MACHINESJohn W. Chamberlin, Mequon, Wis., assignor, by mesne assignments, toAvco Manufacturing Corporation, New York, N. Y., a corporation ofDelaware Application August 24, 1946, Serial No. 692,866

5 Claims. 1 it This invention relates to washing machines of thecombined washing and centrifugal extracting type.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a structurefor automatic washing machines which will be capable of resilientlysupporting a rotatable clothes cylinder such that the machine may beoperated without special consideration for securing the machine to thefloor and which will not set up objectionable vibrations with such use.

The above and other objects of the invention will appear more fully fromthe following more detailed description and by reference to the drawings forming a part hereof and wherein:

Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through the machine from the sideshowing the general arrangement of the drive and support mechanism.

Figure 2 is a rear view of the machine with the back panel removed andshowing a section through the tub with views and partial sections of thecylinder and its support.

Figure 3 is a section showing the cylinder and the support for thetwo-speed drive motor.

Figure 4 is a section showing the location of the supporting rollers forthe cylinder.

Figure 5 is a perspective view of the machine with parts broken away toshow the support for the cylinder and the support for the drive motor.

'Figure 6 is a diagrammatic view of the general arrangement and a wiringdiagram for the control of the machine.

Referring to the drawings a tub I is designed to contain water forWashing and is of such size as to surround a rotatable clothes cylinderII with its support structure. The rotatable cylinder II has annularshaped tracks I2 and I3 secured one in each end of the cylinder. Each ofthese tracks is concentric with the central axis of the cylinder andproject outwardly from the endsof the cylinder. Adjacent each end of thecylinder is a circular shaped support member or ring, these ring supportmembers I4 and I are preferably made up of tubing bent in circular form.Each of these rings I4 and I5 have three brackets attached thereto whichextend toward the cy-linder and over the tracks I2 and I3. One set ofthree of these brackets is provided for each end of the cylinder and inFigure 2 brackets II, HA and NB for one end are shown, correspendingbrackets are provided for the opposite end, one of these being shown atI6 in Figure 1. On each of the brackets'there are rollers, Figure 4showing rollers I9, ISA and I913 for the brackets on the ring I5 andcorresponding rollers for the brackets on the ring I4 as indicated at I8in Figure 1. Each of these rollers runs upon a track; track I2 forrollers supportedfrom ring I4 and track I3 for rollers I9, ISA and I9Bsupported from ring I5. Itis' thus apparent that the clothes cylinderunit II is thus mounted for rotative movement relative to support ringsI4 and I5 on the rollers as shown. For the purpose of supporting therings, each of the rings I4 and I5, as shown in Figure 2, is resilientlysecured to the wall-of tub II] by means of tangential struts 20, 2| and22 for the support of the ring J5, while corresponding struts similarlypositioned on the opposite end, serve as supports for the ring I4.

- Each of these struts as shown in Figure 2 has a rubber mounting suchas 26 for connecting the end of the strut to the cylinder wall. This rubber mounting as shown at 26 is of the type which provides a center pivot27 bonded to a rubber unit 28 which is in turn bonded in its outerfitting 29. This connection provides a, so-called torsion mounting forthe rubber so that the movement of the strut such as 22 about the axisof the pivot 26 is resiliently resisted by rubber in shear. It is thusapparent on inspection of the support unit as shown in Figure 2 that thethree support struts on each end of the cylinder thus mounted will.provide a resilient support for said cylinder in all directions in theplane of the struts. The opposite end of each of the struts is connectedto its ring by a rubber mounting such as 3| as shown for the strut 2| inFigure 2.

This mounting provides a resilient connection for the inner end of thestrut and a similar rubber mounting is provided for each of the innerstrut connections to its ring. A shock absorber 30 is mounted to actbetween ring I4 and the wall of tub III while shock absorber 30A issimilarly mounted for ring I5.

For the purpose of rotating the cylinder II at two speeds, a low speedfor washing and a high speed for extraction, an electric motor 32 isprovided. This motor is of the so-called two speed.

type and may be of the general type shown in U. S. Patent Number2,225,144. Such motor requires no transmission connections but'is variedin its speed by electrical means. This motor has its output shaftconnected directly to the shaft 33 of the cylinder II. The motor 32 issupported on a bracket 34 which bracket is secured to the ring I5 by aplurality of pivoted connections 35, 36 and 31 thus securing the motor32 to the ring I5. The bracket 34 is sealed to the wall of tub ID byflexible connection 38 so that movement relative to the tub II] ispossible while maintaining a fluid tight connection to make the tub lcapable of holding liquid.

As shown in Figure 6 the general arrangement of the machine is forautomatic operation and a two-speed motor is provided. A timer unit llis provided which may be of the general type shown in U. S. Patent2,180,948. Such timer has a plurality of cams as shown, each camcontrolling a circuit which is closed for certain portion of therevolution of the cam as designed for the purpose of producing thedesired cycle of operation including rotation of the motor 32 at a slowwashing speed for a required time together with suitable connections tooperate a water valve 42 to provide inlet of water through an inletconnection 43 from a Water mixing valve 44. The level of the washingliquid in the tub is controlled by the float control switch mechanism45. The water is drained at the required time by solenoid operated drainvalve 46 connected to the bottom of the tub [0. If it is desired toprovide a drain pump an auxiliary motor 41 may be provided which willdrive a drain pump at the desired time.

A change from high speed to low speed of the motor 32 may beaccomplished by a solenoid switch mechanism 48 or other suitable circuitchanging device.

In operation clothes to be washed are inserted in cylinder ll throughthe door in the front of the machine, the opening in the center portionof the cylinder providing access into the cylinder from the door. atedthrough a suitable cycle control timer such as 4| so that the motor willfirst be actuated at a washing speed and will rotate the cylinder at adesired speed for washing, the required amount of wash water beingadmitted to the tub ill in accordance with usual practice in automaticwashing machines of the type, for instance, as is disclosed in U. S.Patent Re. 22,375. Subsequent to the completion of a washing operationthe cycle timer will control circuits to increase the speed of the motor32 and provide high speed for rotation of the cylinder II for extractingWashing liquid from the clothes. The structure shown for supporting thecylinder I! is designed to absorb the forces set up by theout-of-balance load in the cylinder I l and it is evident that thecylinder is free to rotate around its center of mass and will beresiliently resisted in such movement by the suspension provided. Theforces which will be transmitted to the machine frame by out-of-balanceload will therefore be reduced. The mounting of the two-speed motor inclose proximity to the cylinder eliminates the necessity'of drivepulleys and belts and the twospeed motor also eliminates the necessityfor a transmission. The result is a compact design.

Although the invention has been described by reference to a specificstructure it is intended that various modifications may be made withinthe scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a washing machine of the type employing a horizontally disposedrotatable cylinder for washing and extracting operations, a tub, acylinder in said tub, a circular track at each end of said cylinder, acircular support ring at each end i i cylinder approximately the samediame- The motor 32 can then be actumembers and terminating at the wallof said tub surrounding said cylinder, a fastening for the end of eachof said struts adjacent the inner surface of said tub comprising arubber mounting for the end of each of said struts so disposed as toresist movement of said struts about said mounting by resistance ofrubber in shear.

2. In a washing machine of the type employing a horizontally disposedrotatable cylinder for washing and extracting operations, a tub, acylinder in said tub, a circular track at each end of said cylinder, acircular support ring at each end of said cylinder approximately thesame diameter ter as said track but spaced further from the end i ofsaid cylinder than said track, rollers supported by said ring andrunning on said track, struts extending tangentially from thecircumference of said ring members for supporting said ring as saidtrack but spaced further from the end of said cylinder than said track,rollers supported by said ring. and running on said track, strutsextending tangentially from the circumference of said ring members forsupporting said ring members and germinating at the wall of said tubsurrounding 5 'id cylinder, a fastening for the end of each of saidstruts adjacent the inner surface of said tub comprising a rubbermounting for the end of each of said struts so disposed as to resistmovement of said struts about said mounting by resistance of rubber inshear, a drive motor, and means connecting said drive motor to one ofsaid rings centrally thereof, and connections from said drive motor torotate said cylinder.

3. In a combined washing and centrifugal extracting machine of thecharacter described, a substantially circular tub wall, a horizontallypositioned clothes containing cylinder mounted for rotation within saidtub wall about a substantially horizontal axis, a pair of circulartracks mounted upon said cylinder concentric with the axis of saidcylinder one adjacent each end of said cylinder, supporting members oneadjacent the edge of each of said tracks, support rollers operating onsaid tracks and supported by said support members to support saidcylinder for rotation on said circular tracks, and struts for supportingsaid support members, pivoted connections between the outer ends of saidstruts and said tub wall, and resilient connections between the innerends of said support members and said struts.

4. In a combined washing and centrifugal extracting machine of thecharacter described, a tub, a horizontally positioned clothes containingcylinder within said tub, means to support said cylinder for rotationcomprising annular tracks secured to said cylinder positioned one ateach end of said cylinder and at a diameter less than the outsidediameter of said cylinder, support members positioned adjacent saidtracks at each end of said cylinder, support rollers extending from saidsupport members and positioned to operate in said tracks, struts forsupporting said support members from said tub, and resilient connectionsbetween said support members, said struts and said tub.

5. In a combined washing machine and centrifugal extractor of thecharacter described, a tub, a rotatable clothes containing cylindermounted for rotation within said tub, a driving motor mounted with itsoutput shaft on the axis of rotation of said cylinder and connected torotate said clothes containing cylinder, a supporting member for saidmotor adjacent one end of said cylinder, means to support said cylindercomprising rollers also supported on said supporting member, a track onsaid cylinder contacted by said rollers for support of said cylinderduring rotation, and resiliently mounted connections secured to saidsupport member for suspending said supporting member from said tubwhereby both said driving motor and said rotatable clothes containingcylinder are resiliently mounted.

JOHN W. CHAMBERLIN.

REFERENCES CITED Number file of this patent:

6 UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Byrne July 11, 1933 Adams Apr. 16,1935 Zimarik Mar. 15, 1938 Amonsen July '7, 1942 Zimarik June 29, 1943FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date Germany May 31, 1927

